Re: More Memory Questions

linux uses memory in a different way to what you might be used to with windows. Basically, when you load a file in window, it uses a file cache to keep that in memory. You dont normally see that. So when you look at the amount of memory in use, you only really see what your applications are taking up.

In top however, you are seeing your applications as well as the file cache (although linux keeps applications in memory differently than windows does). Generally speaking in windows, if you open 3 copies of notepad, you have 3 copies in memory. In linux, if you open 3 copies of a notepad equivilent you only have 1 in memory, but it is used 3 times. In top you can see this in the VIRT, RES and SHR columns. For more information on that, I suggest you look at the top man page.